New Hope Research Facility
The New Hope Research Facility, also known as the New Hope Wellness FacilityGears of War 2 Collectible: Captivity Marks and called New Hope for short, was a classified COG research facility that was funded by the Department of Health under the supervision of Dr. Niles Samson during the time Monroe was Chairman of the COG to look into early cases of Lambency and the children of those mutated by it. After operation time, the facility and the research was deemed confidential, being kept secret even from the military until it was declassified for Delta Squad to search the facility for clues regarding the Locust Horde during Operation Hollow Storm. History Curing Rustlung In the early Pendulum-era, the miners of Imulsion and their families began to suffer from a condition known as Rustlung, one of the first stages of Lambency. The Coalition of Ordered Governments, wanting to capitalize on Imulsion and not face reparations for its health effects, commissioned the New Hope Research Facility under the Department of Health. Built to be disguised as Jameson Depot, the facility was built to house the infected as prisoners and attempt to find a cure. The Director of New Hope was Doctor Niles Samson. He believed the only way to cure Rustlung was through genetic experimentation. These experiments horribly mutated the subjects, or as he called the "Sires", and their children. As the research progressed, Niles did not see he was creating monsters, but humans who had a "survival advantage." However, other staff members became concerned about their research, especially after some of the staff members were attacked by the subjects, who adopted hostile and even sadistic behavior. Niles, however, persisted with his research, disregarding the violent nature and even sympathized with them. Eventually, in fear of the truth about the health risks of Imulsion exposure becoming known following information leaks and staff departure, Chairman Monroe shut down the facility. Niles left the Sires in stasis and was forced to take his subjects, the first generation Locust, to Mount Kadar, later leading to the construction of Nexus. Before leaving though, Niles left the entire facility under the guard of an AI he programmed his personality into to guard the Sires so they could be later observed as they grew. The research facility was abandoned after Niles took the test subjects to Mount Kadar, and all information regarding Rustlung, the Sires, the "children", and their work at New Hope were all classified. These files were passed down to every Chairman when elected into office, but they lack the in-depth knowledge of the facility and are charged with keeping the facility closed. Among the scientists who relocated the children to Mount Kadar had a child, and later descended to become Myrrah, the eventual Queen of the Locust Horde. Declassification Nearly a century later, the Locust Horde emerged and attacked the surface of Sera. In 14 A.E., the Locust Horde began using a Riftworm to sink the cities of Tollen and Montevado in order to sink Jacinto and flood the Hollow, killing the Lambent. In response, the Coalition launched Operation: Hollow Storm in order to locate the Locust stronghold and neutralizing their leader, ending the war once and for all. During the first wave of Hollow Storm, Delta-One was able to locate the Riftworm and kill it following the sinking of Ilima, but the COG ultimately failed in locating the Locust stronghold. Due to being unable to find the Locust stronghold, Chairman Richard Prescott ultimately declassified the intel file on the New Hope Research Facility, believing that wherever Niles took the "children" is surely where the Locust stronghold and Queen are located. Delta Squad was sent to search for any clues to the Locust capital; however, all previous activities and details remained classified, and even Control was kept in the dark regarding the reconnaissance mission. Even Victor Hoffman, the highest-ranking military officer, knew nothing more of the place beyond its location. .]] Upon arrival, Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago entered the facility while Augustus Cole and Damon Baird guarded the Centaur Tank that Delta were using as transport. Inside, Marcus and Dom encountered an armored security door overlooked by the AI system modeled after Niles. After blasting the door open with a charge, they proceeded to navigate New Hope's extensive security network. Marcus and Dom located the stasis area holding the Sires and hacked the network, recovering information left by Niles Samson about relocating the subjects to Mount Kadar. The recording is interrupted because an unintentional result of Delta hacking the network is the Sires are awakened from stasis. These creatures break out of the tanks and attack the Gears, who have to fight their way out and then shut down the Niles AI because it threatens them for attacking the Sires. Marcus and Dom then attempt to leave the facility when Locust Drones and Boomers suddenly attack the facility. Marcus and Dom fight through the remainder of the facility and rendezvous with Baird and Cole, leaving the facility and driving towards Mount Kadar. The intel proved correct as the Locust capital, Nexus, was situated under Mount Kadar, as well as the Locust Queen, Myrrah. Delta Squad was able to activate the beacon and start the second wave of Operation: Hollow Storm in the actual Locust stronghold. Return to New Hope The Operation was a success and Nexus was destroyed in the flooding following the sinking of Jacinto by the COG. Both the Locust and Lambent drowned. In the following two years, the Lambent spread on the surface, but was ultimately destroyed by Adam Fenix's weapon. However, the device did not kill the Locust but instead forced the Locust into evolution as they became cocooned in an impenetrable crystalline shell. By 42 A.E., the Locust erupted from their cocoons and evolved into the Swarm. The Swarm began rebuilding their army by capturing humans and turning them into soldiers. The leader of the Swarm, the Speaker, led an attack on an Outsiders and captured their leader, Reyna Diaz, who is the daughter of Queen Myrrah and is the rightful "heiress" to the Swarm. They attached Reyna to their network, but she was later found by her daughter, and granddaughter to Myrrah, Kait Diaz, and was euthanized. Reyna left her with her amulet, which is also the symbol of the Locust Horde. Sometime after the Swarm emergence, Kait began having visions and nightmares of the Swarm, and of her grandmother, Myrrah. She became more aggressive and feared that something in her is trying to convert her into becoming the new Queen. Marcus advised her of going to the New Hope Research Facility where she could discover what's happening to her, by discovering the origins of the Locust Horde. The Building Because New Hope Research Facility operated under the guise of Jameson Depot,Gears of War 2: Act 3: Gathering Storm the perimeter of the building was set up to look and operate like a warehouse. However, with proper clearance, the depths of the Facility could be reached. The building itself housed various laboratories and research offices, scattered throughout a maze of hallways. However, the entire area is guarded by numerous automated turrets and flamethrowers that lock onto targets and will shoot until the target is dead or out of range. Most of these weapons have a manual override, which can deactivate the security within that room. Almost every room and hallway has one of these automated weapons installed. Also as common as the turrets in the research area are monitors that Niles's AI Security system can communicate over, and possible see as well. In the heart of the Facility were living quarters built throughout an old train yard to hold the test subjects, along with metal canopies over walkways and throughout the front yard to serve as protection from bad weather such as Razorhail. At the back of the facility, there are stasis tanks and labs set up to keep the Sires in stasis. Also in the same area is the mainframe for the Niles Security System and the records of the research done at New Hope. Over time, after the building was abandoned, Wretches infested the warehouse and somehow invaded the outer research areas of the facility as well. Also in the front areas of the facility are mauled corpses, including a dead Locust Drone.Gears of War 2: Act 3: Gathering Storm: Origins Collectibles at New Hope Interoffice Memo To: All New Hope employees From: Director Niles Samson RE: Ways to Deal with Prying Questions As many of you know, we recently experienced an internal information leak, and this had led some media outlets to make inquiries of the Department of Heath. Should you ever be approached with questions by anyone from the media or from someone who is not an employee of New Hope, I trust that you will all refrain from disclosing any information about the facility or its patients. Please do keep this in mind moving forward, and continue with the great work that you all are doing. You are making the future a better place. Best, Niles''Gears of War 2 Collectible: Interoffice Memo'' Satos’ letter to Stephanie Zimmer To: Stephanie Zimmer From: Doug Sato Subject: WTF?! Steph, we need to talk. Seriously. I'm worried about our safety. Niles keeps saying that the subjects are harmless under sedation, but I just saw Sven get mauled by one of the males. Like ripped up, bloody mauled. This place isn't safe anymore. Maybe it never was. I'm already working on my resignation letter, you may want to as well. Doug NEW HOPE MEDICAL FILE Patient Name: Ruth Age: 15 Symptoms: Ruth is clearly experiencing extreme swelling in her joints and frequently cries out in pain during the night. She also exhibits rather erratic and unpredictable behavior, though this is quite understandable considering her situation and symptoms. There is a strange discoloration in her eyes, and her breathing often sounds labored. Her nails grow at a faster rate than normal, though her hair grows at a markedly reduced rate. I'll keep trying to find some type of medication to alleviate her pain without adversely affecting our studies. Dr. Niles Samson DOCTOR'S JOURNAL Dr. Stephanie Zimmer '' ''Doug was right. These things, these 'children,' as Niles likes to call them, are completely out of control. It's like working with rabid dogs, except they're much smarter, more conniving... and they're brutal. Sadistic even. It's like they were bred to kill and torture. These things are going to be the death of us all. This is my final entry. I'm getting the hell out of here. I hope this place burns to the ground. '' ''Dr. Zimmer. Captivity Marks To: Control From: Delta-One We've found some marks on the walls of a cell in the New Hope Wellness '' Facility. Unclear whether they represent days, weeks, or months, but it's clear someone spent a long time here in captivity. Too long. ''Delta out. Known Occupants Employees *Dr. Niles Samson *Dr. Stephanie Zimmer *Dr. Doug Sato *Sven Patients *Ruth Behind the scenes *The multiplayer maps Security and Stasis are both loosely based on New Hope. Appearances *''Gears of War 2'' *Gears of War: The Slab *Gears 5 References Category:COG Category:Medical facilities